Battvent Day 4 - Feeding the Birds

Bird watching is a great hobby. It's especially great in the winter when naked trees make birds easier to see. It's especially, especially great when you can convince the birds to hang out near a window, where you can enjoy them from the warm comfort of a plush chair and your knitting (or spinning). I mean, we can pretend bird feeders are us being nice to our feathered neighbors, but, if we're being honesty, it's mostly about us enjoying the birds while drinking warm tea and snuggling in our jammies. 

I used this recipe and procedure for making little nuggets of birdseed. It uses plain gelatin and a bit of corn syrup to hold the millet and sunflower seeds together. I modified the recipe just a little by using slightly less water and slightly more birdseed. I didn't have enough cookie cutters for a large batch, so I used tiny cupcake molds. You basically need some structure that holds the mixture together until the gelatin solidifies.

If gelatin isn't your thing, there are so many innovative ways to upcycle household items into simple birdfeeders. You can cut quick slits in nearly any plastic bottle and add a few perches. Milk and juice cartons can be cut and hung as they are, or decorated. Orange peels also make great feeders too!

I got the birdseed at the grocery store in a small bag. It was an easy and low-commitment way to experiment. Happy birding!!